February Round Up

Can you believe that February is (almost) here? Hopefully, you'll find a few of the ideas, activities, and freebies in this post helpful as you plan for the upcoming month!

Feel free to pin the ideas you love most!

Have I ever mentioned that I'm a sucker for cute crafts? ;) Crafts are perfect for developing fine motor skills, encouraging problem solving, and following directions. They are also a great way to show kids that they too can add beauty to their surroundings. #jumpingoffmysoapboxnow

So, by now, you know that I like to display crafts on my monthly bulletin board. My Love Bots always make an appearance in February. Always.

BUT, this year, this little bee is going up too! It makes me smile. #cuteness

When Valentine's Day rolls around, I like to focus on friendship. It's
also that time of year when students need to be reminded about how to
treat their friends/be a friend. So, this little guy will come in handy
as we talk about how to "bee" a good friend.

You can grab the {free} craft here and the {free} writing prompt here. :)

Hearts and cute crafts aside, Presidents' Day is another big deal in the month of February. I usually spend a few weeks on this topic.

We read about each president individually. Sometimes I read aloud to the students using various picture books, and sometimes they read independently using passages like these (and/or Scholastic News).

We often do different things with the
information that we've read. We might make a book.

Or, we might show what we know while testing others knowledge at the same time. Three truths and a Lie is always a hit, and it's a great way to get students thinking critically. My students love showing what they know and seeing if they can create a sly lie that might trick their partner.

Directed drawings are a must during this unit! They always look so great hanging up. To make the drawing process and coloring time more manageable for the students, I usually give them a piece of card stock that's been cut in half (I turn it to landscape orientation when cutting it in half). The final size is 8.5 in by 5.5 in. This is also a great size if you have a miniature sized classroom with little wall space, like I do.

Once we have learned about each president, it's time to really show what we know about them. I like to throw in a little compare and contrast. The students get to show what they know while using important critical thinking skills. And, that is a great combination!

Another way I like to "test" their knowledge of the presidents is with this Who Am I? (Around the Room) activity. It keeps the students engaged as they identify the president associated with each clue on the cards. Sorry about that glare below.

Did you know that February is also when the official RAK week takes place? This year, the dates are Feb. 14-20. Perfect timing, right?

Last year, my class had fun spreading a little RAK around our school. They were like super secret agents of kindness. Hehe.

You can read all about these ideas and grab a few related freebies by clicking here.

Another fun and easy way to focus on kindness at school is with this class book. What I love about class books is that the kids read them over and over. So, in this case, when they reread the book, they are always being reminded of how they can be kind. It's a win-win!